The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-21

step outside. A great commotion followed.
With many tears and sobs the golden haired
beauty told her story. the gallant Baker.was
taken into custody. the young LADY reiations
telographed for, and the train went on It's way
again. Briefly Miss Dickinsons story was that
chs did not know Colonel Baker even by sight;
that the train had hardly left Woking wnen ne
entered into conversation with her; that her
short replies had effect. but that IL spite OF
her GOODNESS his manner became more
familiar and his language Improper, his Of
fensve actions eliminating in his STOPPING down
and graspiDg her by one OF her ankles; that
tnereupon she jumped up and tried to set the
alarm in motion. bat being intercepted by
Colonel Baker and not knowing what else to do,
she sprang to the door. burst it open. and swung
herself out the steps, the train going at the
time at the rate of forty miles hour; that
Colonel Baker sprang after her. aud, unable to
draw her back into the compartment, held her
firmly from falling she might OF Ger wise have
done In reply Colonel Baker had not word
to say, except to give absolute denial to the
whole story, or at least Miss Dickinsons version
OF It The affair happening during the height
of the London season. and Colonel Baker being
so prominent member of Society. the conster-
nation 1t created in all quarters be imagined.
Many people simply wouldn't believe it, and
Miss Dickinson was sharply criticised. by women
especially. No young lady ever travels by train
alone In England-at least no parent who has
his daughters safety at heart would permit her
&c DO so-and that was advanced as excuse
enough for whatever happened.
But at length. at the Croydon Assizes before
Justice Tush. of the Queens Bench, Colonel Ba-
ker was tried for criminal ASSAULT. and Miss
Dickinson repeated her tale under oath. Nat
urally in of this kind a woman, if she be
lady. and especially if she be pretty, has it ali
her own way. In England, too. man can't
testify in his own behalf. and the stunning beau
ty of Miss Dickinson captured every heart.
What were a mans past services to his country,
or future career. put in the balance with an in
jured woman ike that, even though her story
lacked ten able corroborative circumstance to
bear out her unsupported statementsl Colonel
Baker was defended by Mr.. Hawkins. @ c., the
since become judge of the High Court of JUS
tce, eno his defense was thought to have been
far from able Among many points
missed by him was failing to lay any stress on
the fact of Baker holding Miss Dickinson from
falling Had he been the scoundrel she de-
scribed him, or had he any reason to expect she
would accuse him of anything. he would not
have been SO anxious to save from injury the
only witness against him.
However Colonel Baker convicted and
sentenced to years i'm prisonment in Maidstone
Jail, and fine of f500 Until then pu bile opinion
was, in a measure, suspended; but upon his con-
viction there wasn't any punishment severe
show public detestation of his conduct He was
cashisred from the army, losing his commission
money-tbe same being the modest of
$4,000; he was expelled from all his clubs, and
disgraced in every way. The Queen. to show
her special resentment, sent for Miss Dickinson
to come and see her at Buckingham Palace. and
make heroine of her But she couldn't make
that go. If people were down upon Baker
they had a lingering admiration for him that
made them dislike the cause of his downfall.
And. besides. there wera people who knew Miss
Dickinson pretty well. and though Colonel Ba-
ker. neither at the trial nor in any public man
ner. ever said word TO injure her, it somehow
got whispered about that she had given more
enlargement to his advances than were in keeping
with modesty. The Prince of Wales stood his
friend through the whole trouble. but when it
was over ne could do more. He went to Ba-
kers cell before his term of confinement began
and bade him good bye. and that was the last of
him as gentleman.
Baker underwent his sentence like o stole,
and upon its termination left England and
offered his services to Turkey. The of 1876
with Russia. was just on. and the Sultan
only too glad to get such a man. He was made
Pasha and given command of the cavalry, and
from then until the day of his death Valentine
Baker had been in the Sultans service. He in
troduced various reforms and improved the
Turkish army in way and with rapidity that
has excited the admiration of Europe When
Suleman Pasha was defeated he covered his
treat in mastery manner, and with 800 men
kept 30 900 Russians in check. Since then his
advice upon Eastern subjects has been eagerly
sought by the British government